A planning application has been submitted to South Derbyshire District Council for a new Meditation Hall at the Grade II listed Ashe Hall in Etwall on behalf of the Tara International Kadampa Retreat Centre.
Matthew Montague Architects have designed a new Tara Meditation Hall that can be used for a variety of teaching and meditation practices. A simple, light and airy space which can be opened up to the surrounding landscape.
Architect, Matthew Montague said: “There are a number of beautiful Buddhist spaces across the UK, the main one being the Kadampa Temple for World Peace in Ulverston in the Lake District, however, the Tara Meditation Hall will be unique in its design.
“I’ve designed a lot of buildings over the past 25 years but never one that will be used by thousands of visitors from around the world before.”
Ashe Hall was built in 1869, it was a family home until it became a boarding school for boys in 1920. The hall was used as a World War II Red Cross hospital and then passed to local government ownership and operated as a special school until it was purchased by The Tara Buddhist Centre in 1996.
Since it has operated as the Tara International Kadampa Retreat Centre. The main hall comprises residential accommodation and teaching spaces for the practice of Kadampa Buddhism, with the courtyard buildings being ancillary teaching accommodation and a World Peace Café, that is open to all. Beyond this are detached staff houses.
The centre had a meditation hall for many years, it was a pre-fabricated structure, however it fell into a state of disrepair and was eventually condemned as a health risk and was demolished in the late 1990’s.
The new Hall will comfortably accommodate 250 people and will be a focal point for the thousands of visitors who use it for classes, retreats and national Buddhist celebrations every year.
Matthew added: “Understanding the client’s requirements and beliefs and integrating them with architecture were really important for this design. If planning permission is granted the new centre will be a modern building that retains the essential meaningful ordainments and aspects that make a holy place within the Buddhist tradition.”
A planning decision from South Derbyshire District Council is expected in the coming weeks.
